Comments on: Writing progress

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:48:00 +0000

Hi Glenda,

Great excerpt. You are a tease.

Considering Satima's comments are you looking at other markets, or are you tied to HC?

Phill.

By: Satima Flavell

Satima Flavell — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:32:00 +0000

Yes, it’s ahard business. If I didn’t love it so much I’d just set it aside and take up bowls:-)

By: glenda larke

glenda larke — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:52:00 +0000

Australian fantasy authors are now looking overseas for agents, Satima. One Voyager author I know could not interest an Oz agent - even with a good solid publishing contract in hand!

And it is not a good idea to have an agent who doesn't not like your genre - as the agent you quote obviously does not like fantasy. YOu have to have an agent who believes in you, as I do. And in the end, it paid off for us both.

In the end, you know, for an already published writer, it is often not good writing that sells the next book, but the sales figures of the last one. One dip in sales, and you are doomed. No one looks to see if the problem might be something that the writer has no control over, like the cover. Or the back cover blurb. Or even an unrelated thing like the fact that it came out the same month as the last Harry Potter book...

By: Jo

Jo — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:22:00 +0000

Maybe you should get testimonials from all of your readers telling the publishers just how much we want to read your newest books. I would be happy to supply a rave review any time.

By: Satima Flavell

Satima Flavell — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 06:18:00 +0000

I was v. disheartened to read this on the “Call my Agent” blog: “Fantasy (for adults and young adults) is not a big genre in Australian publishing – only Voyager (HarperCollins) and Orbit (Hachette Livre) have any kind of commitment to it. Accordingly, not many agents look at it – we have to run a business, and it doesn’t make sense to specialise in a genre that not many publishers will publish. The agency I work for has recently made a decision to no longer look at fantasy (for adults or children) for this reason and also because, frankly, most of the books are too long – staring down a 200 000 word manuscript makes my spine go cold.”

It seems to be getting harder and harder to find agents and publishers. And if someone as gifted and experienced as you, Glenda, is looking for a good home for such excellent work – well, what more can I say!

By: Glenda Larke

Glenda Larke — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 05:48:00 +0000

🙂 – well, you all have to keep your fingers crossed that someone publishes the darn thing!!

By: Jo

Jo — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:08:00 +0000

Oh definitely back to work Glenda, can't wait. Trouble is it will take me a lot of effort to get hold of the books anyway if they are not published over here. However, I will get them one way or another. But you have to get them written and published first, so, no holidays, no breaks, not even a cuppa or whatever your choice of bevvie is unless someone brings it to you LOL

That sand made me nervous.

By: Satima Flavell

Satima Flavell — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 05:43:00 +0000

Come on Glenda, back to work! We want to read the whole thing asap!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:37:00 +0000

I loved your synopsis (Blogger wouldn’t let me comment yesterday) but this has excerpt really whetted my appetite!! It seems to me you have taken the current drought problem and extrapolated it into a great fantasy novel!!!